Man Plays Guitar in the Middle of Brain Surgery

South African jazz musician Musa Manzini recently underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his brain. Surgeons requested that Manzini remain awake throughout the operation and that he play his guitar as a means of assisting them with the procedure, known as an awake craniotomy.

The six-hour operation was the result of a recurring tumor which threatened paralysis or loss of functions in the part of the brain that controls voluntary movement and was the preferred method to preserve and restore finger movement in the musician's hands. “In this way, we can test regions of the brain before they are removed. This allows for increased removal of the tumour, while minimising damage to the brain," Dr. Enicker, one of the surgeons who operated on Manzini, told IOL.

See footage of Manzini playing guitar mid-surgery below.

Manzini is seen lightly strumming his acoustic guitar, playing a series of notes as the team of surgeons work on his brain. “It can be very difficult to tell the difference between the tumor and normal brain tissue,’ said Enicker (via The New York Times). "Once you’re near a critical area, you can pick it up early, because he will tell you."

As of one week ago, Manzini was said to be doing well and is recovering from the surgery.